Cuffs, I didn't MEAN FOR it to be a stupid question. My husband, who did all the 'mechanical' jobs around our house, died two weeks ago, quite suddenly, and I am left to try figuring out how to fix things, make things operate, etc. As I said, I have the operator's manual, but it doesn't make sense to me AT ALL. I hope someone will come on the board who will help both of us. Thanks.

kimgill it is preferable to place thermostats in an inside hallway away from any supply vent, light/heat source, drop down attic stairs. IMO

> The AC people said something about a 'whole house surge > protector.' I wonder if this is something to consider? More than just consider. Everyone should have one. Different devices are all called surge protectors. Even power bars do not claim to protect from these other and destructive surges. One that protects from destructive surges is also the least expensive solution - a properly earthed 'whole house' protector. Remember, no protector does protection. For a TV cable, best protection is a wire from the coax to earth ground. Does wire do the protection? No. Protection is only defined by earth ground. Other incoming wires (AC electric, telephone) cannot make a direct earth connection. So a 'whole house' protector does what a wire would do better. Your phone and cable wires must already have that protector - as required by numerous standards and codes. But a lightning strike far down the street to AC electric (overhead or underground) is a direct strike incoming to all appliances. Either that current connects to earth via appliances (HVAC, garage door opener, dishwasher, computers) destructively. Or you connect to earth BEFORE it can enter the building. These superior solutions are sold in Home Depot and Lowes. And must be at least 50,000 amps. Protection is defined by earth ground. Your building earth ground must both meet and exceed code requirements. Even the connection must be low impedance (ie 'less than 10 feet', no sharp bends, no splices, etc). Protectors are simple science. The 'art' of protection is earth ground including how connections are made. Normal is for surges to enter via underground wires. If any underground wire inside a utility cable enters without that earth ground connection, then protection is compromised. Earth each either directly. Or via a 'whole house' protector. Otherwise protection is only what already exists inside each appliance. This post was edited by westom on Tue, Aug 13, 13 at 9:02

Thanks Jim and Mat for weighing in on the mystery item. We never had an elctrostatic air cleaner in the home, so that adds to the puzzle. The mystery item may have been left on our site from a contractor, but no one claimed it. Would it be something that a contractor would bring into our home to do some sort of project? The original HVAC contractor did want us to sell the AC condenser. We just did not get around to it at the time it was removed, and instead in went into our storage bunker. So, the HVAC contractor did not say anything about it being wrong to sell it. He was the contractor who initially installed it, and then uninstalled it when we did the home addition. Can either of you let me know what the tonnage of the unit is based on the sticker? Carol